Winter's finally here

With the first snow finally hitting us this week, it's time to
give some thought to winter car safety. Local departments of public
works were out early Monday morning and did a good job getting the
roads ready for rush hour travel. After that it's up to us all to
take the responsibility of having our vehicles in good shape and of
being good drivers. Anyone who hasn't already done so should make
sure their car's tires, lights , batteries, anti-freeze and other
fluids are ready for the season. According to the experts the
average life of a tire is three to five years or 40,000 to 60,000
miles. If yours are close to the limit or if you notice a loss of
traction, it's time to replace them.

Make sure you check the levels of antifreeze, steering and wiper
fluids and try to have your gas tank at least half full before
heading out in a snowstorm.

Eliminate starting problems in cold weather by making sure your
battery is in good shape.

And just in case of any unforeseen problems, equip your vehicle
with an emergency survival kit, including, blankets or a sleeping
bag, a flashlight and extra batteries, a first-aid kit, extra
clothes, a shovel, a bag of sand or rock salt and jumper cables, as
well as the usual windshield scraper and brush.

When it comes to driving, obey speed limits and traffic signs.
Avoid any sudden steering changes, braking or accelerating. Slow
down when road surfaces are wet or icy or in poor visibility
conditions. Be sure also to give pedestrians a break. With unsure
footing in bad weather, they need extra time to safely cross the
street before a vehicle comes barrelling around the corner at them,
an ongoing problem on Bloomfield Avenue. Slow down,
folks.

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In recent weeks, Long Hill Township and Watchung Borough passed ordinances allowing their police departments to be able to apply for surplus equipment from the Department of Defense. Long Hill recently procured a Humvee to use in times of flooding, which Watchung states as the reason they are getting into the program. However, in cities around the country, police forces have used the program to obtain military gear, such as weapons and armor.
For more background, go to the link below
http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/watchung-police-department-hopes-to-receive-equipment-from-department-of/article_12ad002a-92b3-5449-a2cc-4b2cf0ce4339.html